Mitchell County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Spruce Pine
Mitchell County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Mitchell County is home to Spruce Pine. Construction employs 241, up 13.7% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Mitchell County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. Employers here counted 4,641 jobs in 2025, down 1.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Mitchell County
Mitchell County is home to Spruce Pine.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Mitchell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,901 | 15,062 | ▲ 1.1% | 87th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,690 | 4,641 | ▼ 1.0% | 68th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,143 | $50,740 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 212 | 241 | ▲ 13.7% | 37th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
15,062 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Mitchell County
Utilities with service territory in Mitchell County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,356,079 | 15.54¢ | 36% |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 70,743 | 13.13¢ | 14% |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 36,147 | 14.78¢ | 20% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Mitchell County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Mitchell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,641 | $50,740 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 241 | $54,766 | 0.98 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Mitchell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mitchell County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Carter County, McDowell County.
Mitchell County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Mitchell County, Carter County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | 15,062 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Avery County | 18,110 | ▲ 16.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Carter County TN | 57,361 | ▲ 11.3% | 68 MW | — | — | 1 |
| McDowell County | 45,198 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Unicoi County TN | 17,856 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Yancey County | 19,084 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Mitchell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Mitchell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Rutherford Elec Member Corp, French Broad Elec Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Mitchell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mitchell County.
Is Mitchell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,641 jobs in 2025 against 4,690 in 2019 (-1.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 212 to 241.
Does Mitchell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mitchell County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.